Changing Sex Differentials in Leukemia (1964)

This study is about leukemia death rates and does not mention asbestos. The authors used published U.S. vital and census statistics to calculate male-to-female ratios of leukemia death rates by age group for white and nonwhite Americans from 1921 to 1960, and compared them with figures for England and Wales from 1931 through 1954. Among U.S. whites, the ratio fell over time in each childhood age group and rose in each age group over 24 years. The rise was statistically significant between ages 35 and 74. Among nonwhites there were no consistent or significant trends except a decline under 1 year of age. The authors said irregularities in the nonwhite figures may be due to the small number of leukemia deaths. Among U.S. whites, the actual increases in death rates in children were about the same for boys and girls. In each older age group, increases were clearly larger for males. The authors suggested two possible explanations for the childhood rise: new environmental factors affecting both sexes equally, or better recognition of the disease. They suggested the adult rise was real, with males selectively affected by increasing leukemia-causing factors in the environment.

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From J-M's medical library

This copy comes from the Johns-Manville medical library. It was among the papers J-M kept in its medical library without an index entry.